act46side

Alone she walks through the vast, pale mountainscape.

Until in the distance, a dark tunnel entrance beckons to her.

Through the telescope's lens, Gnosis sees the mysterious scientist step into the shadows.

Arrest these two and have them sent straight to the Vine-Bead Court.

I've brought one.

I'm afraid I cannot grant your wish, Great Elder.

Upon hearing that long-awaited voice, Enciodes stands up and walks past the old man who remains frozen like a wooden sculpture.

Gnosis executed the plan. The Tschäggättä deployed immediately on his signal.

Before the presence of these wraiths, the clerics could do nothing but stumble back into their abodes, their tender faces affixed in fear.

I, I'm one of the Vine-Bead Court's clerics! You can't treat me like this—

Shut up and stop resisting!

...Master Frey is here too! Please, help me!

The one just brought in was the once-arrogant envoy of the Vine-Bead Court. His gaze sweeps over the shouting cleric, and he shakes his head.

Father Frey, I believe I can now explain your actions.

Victoria's agents conspired with the Vine-Bead Court's clerics to smuggle spies out of the country through the mine railway, but were caught red-handed thanks to Karlan Trade.

And before that, you were assisting the Victorians with scouring the mining site. Premeditated ill-intent.

And lest you forget, you protected the suspect following Ratatos's funeral.

You will formally be put on trial for these crimes.

By Kjeragandr... Forgive him, for he knows not of what he speaks––

It is a fact that spies have infiltrated the Vine-Bead Court. I urge you to not resist. Cooperation with our investigation is the only path to leniency.

Take Elder Great Adso, Father Frey, and the other elders of the Vine-Bead Court away for questioning. The other clerics are to remain there, awaiting their summons.

Yessir!

Now then, Great Elder Adso––

Silverash, do you think you've won?

'Those who live by the blade will find their arrogance short-lived.'

I wonder, just how long will your arbitrary reign of terror last?

Without making any unnecessary movements, Adso gives a slight nod to the crowd, then slowly walks to the door.

Great Elder! What should we do?!

...Survive.

The rest is already written in the scriptures. I have nothing else to say.

You are Her servants, and whatever happens, you must act according to your conscience.

Take him away.

By Kjeragandr, may the guilty receive their fair trial.

This is an abandoned mining shaft—the torches and tunnel lights don't work anymore. Bend down carefully, and watch your head...

If we wrap around from this side, we should just be able to make it...

Urgh!

Watch out!

...Come over first. Watch your step.

Joanna shifts her feet, and several rocks tumble down the cave, the sounds of dislodged pebbles echoing through the cracked crevices as they fall. She shudders.

So deep... You'd probably turn into a stain on the ground if you fell from this height...

Damn those Victorians for causing trouble in the mines... Else, we wouldn't have to come this way...

Huh? Saintess, what are you looking at?

There's a light ahead; it must be the path leading to the main ore vein. Come—let's hold hands, just like before.

We are just a few steps shy of our answer. We mustn't run into danger here.

Soon... We will find all our answers.

The map is illuminated by the flickering light of the oil lamp. They hardly converse, moving forward in silence, their steps filled with both fear and anticipation.

But eventually, the search comes to an end.

...Are you sure this is the right place? Might we have made a mistake?

No... I'm sure of it.

This is the mine I previously calculated and located... There's no way this could be the wrong place.

But...

What are you two talking about? This is the place we were looking for, yeah?

According to my plan, we should be able to find an Originium vein here... My deduction can be proven correct, if and only if it exists...

But, this place...

...is an Oriron mine.

What...?

I've investigated and analyzed everything; these are all just ordinary Oriron deposits. There's no chance they're related to Catastrophe...

...Let alone any traces of 'extraterrestrial objects'. Where did we go wrong?

But, why?! We clearly saw a bunch of trucks transporting Originium on our way here! How could this all just be Oriron?

It doesn't take long for Enya to grasp the schemes of the man bonded to her by blood.

Indeed... We came to the wrong place.

The mineral vein here is not the 'Heart of Karlan', but rather, the 'Bones of Kjerag'...

The bones that uphold Kjerag's spine...

...Um, may I say something?

The Heart of Karlan is a pure core that validates faith. Man's eyes, ears, mouth, nose, and hands can deceive, and only the heart cannot. Such is written in the <i>Kjeragandr.</i>

But, I don't think we're being unfaithful or impious.

We all know how much we've done... and surely, She must know too.

Just like how give everything on the hunt, only to come up empty-handed and go hungry through the night.

But, we must have faith. Faith in the land of Kjerag. Faith in Kjeragandr's protection. She promised us that as long as we have our two hands, we shall not starve or freeze to death in Kjerag's lands.

So, Great Saintess, come. Let's try again––

Huh? Try... what?

Use your bell to call Kjeragandr.

That sweet bell—the sound of the Saintess who played to awaken Kjeragandr, the clear sound beloved of Her, the sound that is Her call.

So it says in the <i>Kjeragandr</i> that burdenbeasts wearing this bell will not be snatched away by wild beasts; they shall not fall ill or die young, and shall find their way back home should they ever be lost.

For one's 'heart to be astray' is to be lost too, right? I don't totally get what it means, but I heard it from one of the clerics at the Vine-Bead Court!

Unlike her two dejected companions, the girl shows no signs of discouragement and is eager to try again.

That's right. We should keep trying. Perhaps Kjeragandr will respond to us.

The silver bell rings out on high, its engraved patterns shimmering beneath the hazy light of the miner's lamps.

She had tried to call out like this before. At the Vine-Bead Court, in her own bedroom, among her books, while resting among the snow-capped mountains.

Ring—ring—

The clear, cold sound of the silver bell echoes through the empty cave.

...Woah, that's...!

This sound, this frequency... Why does it sound so alike?!

Did you discover something?

That frequency! The echoes of your bell throughout the cave sound just like that one audio recording from the observatory—almost identical, even!

Is that just a coincidence?

A coincidence? No...

'In nature, no two snowflakes are exactly alike'...

Say, Saintess... Where exactly did that bell come from?

That would require going back to very ancient legends...

In Kjerag history, there was a long span of time where Kjeragandr fell into deep slumber until She was awoken by a devout Saintess.

It was Kjeragandr's gift to that Saintess.

I've also heard that when subsequent craftsmen made bells for the Saintesses, they sought to imitate the sounds of the mountains...

The sounds of the mountains...? What kind of mountain could make a sound––

A Feranmut?

Impossible... How could that be...

Snap out of it, Elena... You're a scientist. How could you let your faith falter at a time like this...?

Elena, are you saying that on the day before the Catastrophe, something fell onto Mount Karlan, thus creating that sound?

Based on my previous conjectures, yes...

So think about it this way... If we think of the mountain as a huge bell, doesn't that mean there's probably a huge hollow inside it?